There are many internet messaging services out there and sometimes you have no choice but to install more than just one because your friends and family will use different services. Installing multiple messengers becomes a necessity if you want to message different people. The best way to streamline your messaging requirements is by using an internet messaging aggregator service. These are services that provide a way for you to access your different accounts in different messengers with just one application. [Read more…]

For those of you who refused to go into the darkside and used other online communication tool other than Windows Live Messenger, you’d be glad to know that a bolder, greater version of your favorite instant messaging tool is about to be made available pretty soon. Microsoft has been preparing the new version of its Windows Live Messenger and based on what we can see, it looks like it is going to be a better version than most previous releases, and so we hope.

So what’s in store for us in the new Windows Live Messenger? Three things – improved IM experience, more socially connected and integration to Hotmail. Â Let’s look closely into each of these enhancements.

The new Windows Live Messenger will bring richer photo and video sharing, high definition video chat, video messages, games and one-click access to files on your PC, search results from Bing as well as photos and videos shared on Microsoft SkyDrive, Facebook and other social sharing sites. Facebook Chat will also be supported. All these done in an easy to manage and use interface.

Messenger will also be bringing beautiful high-resolution views of photos, videos and links shared by your friends – right to your desktop. It will allow you to view Facebook albums in a fun browsing interface as well as let you update your status and instantly post it to other sharing sites that you often use.

Finally, the new Windows Live Messenger will also be integrated into Windows Live Hotmail. Not just plain integration but right smack into the front and center of Hotmail. There will also be a new Messenger Companion add-on for Internet Explorer that will allow you to share links and comments from whatever website you’re on.

So, there. Some new great stuff coming to the new Windows Live Messenger. Are we excited about it?

We all know that texting while driving is a big no-no. In fact some countries prohibit doing those two activities at the same time and may get you arrested if found guilty. But what if you’re on the road and you need to check a very important incoming message? Well, you can always pull over and check your phone. But that wouldn’t be unwise to do while you’re driving on the freeway. Thanks to Vlingo’s BlackBerry app checking your incoming text messages is now possibly while driving and won’t require you to use your hands.

Vlingo just announced version 4.5 of its cool BlackBerry app with an added feature called “SafeReader.” Any guess on what this feature can do? Ok, SafeReader reads all your incoming messages aloud allowing you to digest your incoming email and text messages while you drive.Â The spoken messages are delivered audibly to ensure that you understand what the email and SMS messages are saying.

In case you’re not using Vlingo on your BlackBerry app yet, now may be the right time to do so. Aside from this cool “SafeReader” feature, the app also features a powerful speech-to-text technology that lets you compose and send text or email messages, call a friend, search the web, update your Facebook status, use instant messaging, add contacts and calendar entries and other nifty features – just by speaking into your phone. The “SafeReader” feature expands this features by reversing speech-to-text to text-to-speech.

Cool, right? To get the app, simply point your BlackBerry’s browser to www.blackberry.com/appworld or www.vlingo.com. Once installed on your BlackBerry device and before driving, simply press a button, speak to the device and say “Start SafeReader” and your incoming messages will be delivered audibly, without fail through spoken words.

So you got a new BlackBerry handheld device and is now starting to explore the great BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). The problem is you don’t know of any friends who are as cool as you who happen to have a BlackBerry phone as well. So that renders your cool BB Pin and BBM useless. Here’s a good news. Why not start sharing your PIN to others? Put it in your Facebook profile. Sounds good right?

A new BlackBerry Facebook app just became available, allowing you to put your BBM QR Code to your Facebook profile so that other BBM users who happen to be in your Facebook network can scan it and add you to their BBM buddy list.

It’s a pretty clever idea. Something that I would definitely want to try since I really haven’t maximized the use of my BBM since I got my BlackBerry phone.

To try this one out, just head over to the bb_barcodegenerator app on Facebook. You will be asked for your BlackBerry PIN, choose a layout for your BB QR Code, then have the app generate it for you. From there you can opt to display the QR Code on your Facebook profile, either in the sidebar or overlaid onto your profile picture. Then wait till your friends and others within who can view your profile scan it and add you to their BBM list. Then you can start chatting away.

The barcode generator works with BBM running on version 5.0. So if your phone’s BBM is still on an earlier version, now may be the right time to update.

For whatever it’s worth Brightkite actually pioneered the location-based checked-in with social networking service a couple of years ago. Yes, long before Gowalla and Foursquare started to become popular Â it Â has been offering the same service. But for no apparent reason Brightkite became silent for quite some time now.

Enter Brightkite’s latest offering called Group Text. Aiming solve the tedious process of organizing gigs and events among your friends through sending of numerous text messages addressed to several people, Brightkite is offering a better, faster and more cost-effective solution through Group Text.

So, how does Group Text actually works? Â You create a group, enter your contacts and then send out a text to the group. The fun begins when your friends start receiving your messages via text, push notifications, mobile web or from the web itself. Â Then when anyone replies to your message, everyone in the conversation thread will receive the message as well. Basically, it’s like having email groups, only this time the main activity is done through text messaging.

Brightkite Group Text allows you to create groups with up to 25 members. Once you’ve created a group, you can easily ping them, introduce new members or start any conversation with all the members of the group. The service is free, so that answers your question on possible mobile data service cost.

Group Text also lets you send photos and locations to your group. You can also send messages directly from your desktop’s web browser.

And finally, Brighkite has submitted an updated version of its iPhone app to Apple. Once approved the new Brightkite iPhone app will have the group text messaging feature.

Frankly, the first thing that came into my mind when I stumbled upon new social media site Lunchwall was the location-aware social media site Gowalla. Not only does these two services’ names sound alike but somehow they offer similar services.

Gowalla is a social recommendation site of sorts, built upon crowd sourced experience when visiting restaurants and other places of interest. Lunchwalla on the other hand is also banking on the social aspect, this time of planning gigs and events by group of people or network of friends.

Basically, Lunchwalla answers the most pressing daily question – “What’s for lunch?” Â The site is for coordinating events at millions of eating and drinking establishments with friends, colleagues and family. Don’t get me wrong here, you can also use Lunchwalla for organizing breakfast, dinner, drinks and other gatherings. It is not just limited to lunch events.

From the official press release – Lunchwalla changes social planning by combining reviews, reservations, menus and local coupons into one site that lets friends, colleagues and family vote on where to go. Â It aims to cut down cost on sending text messages the hazzle of calling back-and-forth just to finalize on where your friends would be holding your next small gathering.

To find out whether Lunchwalla suits your needs, you can check out the site at http://lunchwalla.com and register to join. You can create a new account or use your Facebook login credential to start planning your next lunch gig.

Lunchwalla is currently web-based service only. Although I’m pretty sure a mobile application is already under way.